Joyous Palestinians streamed into the streets of Gaza and were caught celebrating what they referred to a “huge victory” after seven weeks of a war that witnessed the killing of more than 2,150 Palestinians, including around 570 children and 11,100 wounded.
Right after the conclusion of the ceasefire, crowds streamed into the streets and were caught waving flags and even dancing of joy. Car horns blared and recorded chants praising God sounded from mosque loudspeakers.
Though the Eid El Fitr days are long gone, Gaza’s Imams decided to finally chant for the Eid day.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he is hoping the long-term ceasefire in Gaza will “set the stage for talks on a final Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.”
“The secretary-general remains hopeful that the extended ceasefire will act as a prelude to a political process as the only way of achieving durable peace,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
Palestinian and Egyptian officials said the deal calls for an indefinite halt to the war, the immediate opening of Gaza’s blockaded crossings with Israel and Egypt and a widening of the territory’s fishing zone in the Mediterranean.
“A month later Israel and the Palestinian factions would discuss the construction of a seaport and airport in Gaza and the freeing of about 100 prisoners,” the BBC said.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said that this cease-fire a “victory.”
“We have achieved most of our goals and targets,” he said.
On the Israeli side, A senior official told the BBC that “Israel accepts the Egyptian initiative for an unlimited ceasefire in Gaza.
“The proposal does not include Hamas demands regarding a port, an airport, prisoners and funds. The sides will discuss their demands through Egypt within a month,” the official told the BBC.
